Regulation (EU) 2023/988, known as the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on May 23, 2023, and entered into force on June 12, 2023. However, its implementation will be mandatory from December 13, 2024.
This regulation introduces new provisions to ensure the safety of products placed on the EU market, with a focus on online sales and new technologies. It replaces the previous Directive 2001/95/EC, providing a more up-to-date regulatory framework consistent with current market needs.
In summary, the GPSR aims to ensure that all products intended for consumers in the EU are safe, regardless of the sales channel, strengthening consumer protection and promoting a level playing field for businesses.
To comply with Regulation (EU) 2023/988, e-commerce companies must provide detailed and complete information about the products they offer. This practice, in addition to ensuring regulatory compliance, is essential to facilitate customers' purchasing decisions and improve search engine visibility (SEO).
An accurate product sheet is crucial for any e-commerce, whether it deals with consumer products or offers niche or home-grown items. For example, in the food sector, indicating ingredients, allergens, nutritional values, storage method and expiration date can significantly increase online sales. Similarly, in the clothing sector, providing details on materials, washing methods, sizes, and measurements increases customers' confidence in products.
In essence, this regulation forces us to accomplish what we should have been doing all along: providing our customers with detailed and informative product sheets.
An important element to keep in mind is that Elementor Page Builder-based templates offer great flexibility for enhancing the product page. These tools allow additional information to be integrated in a graphically appealing way, making the product sheet more complete and engaging for the customer.
![[PRESTASHOP] Product Dimensions Display](https://cdn.tecnoacquisti.com/609-home_default/-prestashop-product-dimensions-display.jpg)
The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labeling of chemicals is an international system for classifying chemicals according to hazards and for communicating safety information in a unified manner. One of the pillars of GHS are hazard pictograms, accompanied by warnings, risk phrases and precautionary statements.
Per the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation), the relevant GHS icons on the product sheet must be used if the product contains hazardous chemicals. The icons to be used depend on the specific classification of the product according to its chemical and physical hazards.
Below is a list of the nine GHS hazard pictograms currently in use, with their respective codes and meanings:
This system makes it possible to harmonize safety information globally, making it easier and clearer to identify chemical hazards.
Each sector requires specific actions-from traceability to material safety, from labeling to cybersecurity for technology products. Check out the table below for the adjustments required for each sector and make sure you are always in compliance!
| E-commerce Sector | Adjustments Required |
|---|---|
| Clothing and accessories |
|
| Food and beverages |
|
| Sanitary items |
|
| Cosmetics and personal care products |
|
| Construction |
|
| Consumer Electronics |
|
| Toys and children's items |
|
| Household Products |
|
| Connected Technology Products (IoT) |
|
| Auto and motorcycle parts |
|
General Notes:
Adhering to these requirements not only ensures legal compliance, but also strengthens consumer confidence in your e-commerce.
However, the regulation specifically excludes certain product categories because they are already covered by European Union regulations that set detailed safety requirements for those specific areas, such as:
It is important to note that although the Regulation applies to a wide range of products, some areas may be regulated by specific EU regulations. In such cases, Regulation (EU) 2023/988 applies to the extent that there are no specific provisions having the same objective in the relevant sectoral legislation.
To ensure compliance, e-commerce operators must identify the specific regulations applicable to their products and ensure that all items offered to consumers in the EU, regardless of sales channel, meet the established safety requirements.
The General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 is directly applicable in all EU member states, including Italy, without the need for transposition through national laws. However, member states are required to establish effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for violations of the regulation. Italy has yet to adopt legislative or regulatory measures to define the applicable sanctions for non-compliance with the regulation.
Most of the tools needed to adapt our e-commerce in PrestaShop to Regulation (EU) 2023/988 are already built into the CMS; you simply need to take full advantage of them. Supplier (purchasing) and production tracking, on the other hand, is probably already managed by your management software, along with data on sales made. Considering that these documents must be retained for 10 years for tax purposes, no additional work is required on this front. Let's then turn our attention to what you need to implement directly in PrestaShop.
Learn how to place a product on PrestaShop while complying with the new GPSR EU 2023/988 regulation on general product safety and taking full advantage of the potential of generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT.
Merchants with e-commerce must take a proactive approach to ensure compliance with product safety requirements. This means:
Complying with the GPSR is not only an obligation, but also an opportunity to build trust with consumers by offering safe and guaranteed products.
Author: Loris Modena
Per Ind Loris Modena owner of Arte e Informatica, began working in the computer industry in 1989 as a systems engineer in charge of maintenance and installation of computer systems. He starts programming for the web in 1997 dealing with CGI programming in PERL and later moving to programming in PHP and JavaScript. During this period he approaches the Open source world and Linux server management.
